National Independence Party (UK)
Encyclopedia
The National Independence Party was a minor far-right party that appeared in British politics during the 1970s. The party was led by John Davis, and campaigned on a platform similar to that of the much bigger National Front
(NF) on anti-immigration, anti-European Economic Community
, anti-communism
themes.
before establishing his own group in the late 1960s. Davis was a well-established friend of John O'Brien
and when the latter became NF chairman in 1970 co-operation between the two parties increased, as was evidenced by the role Davis played in convincing the National Democratic Party
to drop their candidate for the St Marylebone by-election
and instead campaign on behalf of the NF's Malcolm Skeggs.
The close work between the NIP and NF came to an end when John Tyndall
took charge of the latter. However the struggle to gain the leadership had proven divisive and the NIP's ranks were swollen by the defection of O'Brien and his supporters away from the NF. The overall impact was not great however as Tyndall and Martin Webster
were able to use Spearhead
to successfully portray O'Brien as merely a tool of an establishment determined to smash the NF whilst the NIP was little known in comparison to the NF, meaning that some NF members who sympathised with O'Brien were nevertheless not prepared to switch sides. Nonetheless Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett
, a leading opponent of the Common Market, was amongst the figures to at least temporarily make the NIP the focus of his patronage following O'Brien's defection.
but performed poorly. Although they finished ahead of one other fringe right-wing candidate in "Democratic Conservative against the Common Market" candidate Reginald Simmerson, their 1.64% vote share put them behind the Union Movement
's Dan Harmston (2.6%) and way behind the NF's John Clifton, whose 8.71% vote share was seen as a dramatically high result for the NF at the time. Their best performance came in the February 1974 general election
when Micahel Coney, standing as National Independence - Anti-Common Market captured 4.4% of the vote in Tottenham
, finishing ahead of the NF's Roy Painter
. This came despite Painter, a former member of the Conservative Party
, being a well-known local figure and receiving widespread coverage in the area's press. By this time the relationship between the two parties had deteriorated so much that the NIP was "despised" by the NF.
and as part of his campaign he appealed to the areas Jewish population not to vote on religious lines due to the Labour Party
candidate, Aaron Weichselbaum, being Jewish. Leaders in the local Jewish community interpreted this as an attempt by Coney to whip up anti-Semitic feelings against Weichselbaum and, whilst another Labour candidate was elected in what was a safe seat, Weichselbaum missed out with Coney taking the seat. Coney was independent
by the 1978 elections (the NIP having been wound up in the interim) and later served the Conservative Party
but his example of building a strong local base in a single area, which included a 20.3% vote share in the 1973 Greater London Council election
, was later lauded by elements within the British National Party
who supported Nick Griffin
against John Tyndall
due to their support for a similar localist strategy.
was not replicated elsewhere however with the NIP never more than a minor force. The party, which was closely associated with a group calling itself the Political Independence Movement, failed to challenge the hegemony of the National Front on the far right and had disappeared before the decade was out, with many of its members returning to the NF.
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
(NF) on anti-immigration, anti-European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
, anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
themes.
Development
The party was found by John Davis who had previously been an ally of Andrew FountaineAndrew Fountaine
Andrew Fountaine was a veteran of the far right scene in British politics.Born into a land-owning Norfolk family, Fountaine was educated at the Army College in Aldershot and was the son of Vice Admiral Charles Fountaine who had been naval ADC to King George V...
before establishing his own group in the late 1960s. Davis was a well-established friend of John O'Brien
John O'Brien (UK politician)
John O'Brien was a leading figure on the far right of British politics during the early 1970s.A fruit farmer by trade, O'Brien had initially been a member of the Conservative Party in Shrewsbury. A supporter of Enoch Powell, he attempted to organise a 'Powell for Premier' movement following the...
and when the latter became NF chairman in 1970 co-operation between the two parties increased, as was evidenced by the role Davis played in convincing the National Democratic Party
National Democratic Party (UK, 1966)
The National Democratic Party was a right wing political party that operated in the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s. The NDP sought to poisition itself as an early rival to the National Front although ultimately it failed to challenege the position of this group.-Background:The NDP had...
to drop their candidate for the St Marylebone by-election
St Marylebone by-election, 1970
The St Marylebone by-election of 22 October 1970 was held after Conservative Member of Parliament Quintin Hogg became a life peer. The seat was retained by the Conservatives.-Results:...
and instead campaign on behalf of the NF's Malcolm Skeggs.
The close work between the NIP and NF came to an end when John Tyndall
John Tyndall (politician)
John Hutchyns Tyndall was a British politician who was prominently associated with several fascist/neo-Nazi sects. However, he is best known for leading the National Front in the 1970s and founding the contemporary British National Party in 1982.The most prominent figure in British nationalism...
took charge of the latter. However the struggle to gain the leadership had proven divisive and the NIP's ranks were swollen by the defection of O'Brien and his supporters away from the NF. The overall impact was not great however as Tyndall and Martin Webster
Martin Webster
Martin Guy Alan Webster is a former leading figure on the far-right in British politics.-Early political activism:An early member of the Young Conservatives, from which he claimed to have been expelled, Webster was associated loosely with the League of Empire Loyalists until he joined the National...
were able to use Spearhead
Spearhead (magazine)
Spearhead was a British far right-wing magazine edited by John Tyndall until his death in July 2005. Founded in 1964 by Tyndall, it was used to voice his grievances against the state of the United Kingdom...
to successfully portray O'Brien as merely a tool of an establishment determined to smash the NF whilst the NIP was little known in comparison to the NF, meaning that some NF members who sympathised with O'Brien were nevertheless not prepared to switch sides. Nonetheless Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett
Don Bennett
Air Vice Marshal Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett CB CBE DSO RAF was an Australian aviation pioneer and bomber pilot who rose to be the youngest Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air Force. He led the "Pathfinder Force" from 1942 to the end of the Second World War in 1945...
, a leading opponent of the Common Market, was amongst the figures to at least temporarily make the NIP the focus of his patronage following O'Brien's defection.
Elections
The party tested its electoral fortunes in the 1972 Uxbridge by-electionUxbridge by-election, 1972
The Uxbridge by-election was held on 7 December 1972 after Conservative Member of Parliament Charles Curran had died on 16 September of the same year. The seat was retained by the Conservatives by Michael Shersby. Shersby would hold the seat until his sudden death just days after the 1997 general...
but performed poorly. Although they finished ahead of one other fringe right-wing candidate in "Democratic Conservative against the Common Market" candidate Reginald Simmerson, their 1.64% vote share put them behind the Union Movement
Union Movement
The Union Movement was a right-wing political party founded in Britain by Oswald Mosley. Where Mosley had previously been associated with a peculiarly British form of fascism, the Union Movement attempted to redefine the concept by stressing the importance of developing a European nationalism...
's Dan Harmston (2.6%) and way behind the NF's John Clifton, whose 8.71% vote share was seen as a dramatically high result for the NF at the time. Their best performance came in the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
when Micahel Coney, standing as National Independence - Anti-Common Market captured 4.4% of the vote in Tottenham
Tottenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Tottenham is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, finishing ahead of the NF's Roy Painter
Roy Painter
Roy Painter is a British Conservative politician and once candidate who for a time became one of the leading figures on the British far right....
. This came despite Painter, a former member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, being a well-known local figure and receiving widespread coverage in the area's press. By this time the relationship between the two parties had deteriorated so much that the NIP was "despised" by the NF.
Haringey
Despite being a minor party the NIP registered one of the few occurrences of a far-right party securing electoral office in Britain before the 1990s. In 1974 Michael Coney, a local sub-post office manager, stood as NIP candidate for the South Tottenham ward of Haringey London Borough CouncilHaringey London Borough Council
Haringey London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Haringey in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Haringey is divided into 19 wards, each electing three councillors. Haringey London Borough...
and as part of his campaign he appealed to the areas Jewish population not to vote on religious lines due to the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate, Aaron Weichselbaum, being Jewish. Leaders in the local Jewish community interpreted this as an attempt by Coney to whip up anti-Semitic feelings against Weichselbaum and, whilst another Labour candidate was elected in what was a safe seat, Weichselbaum missed out with Coney taking the seat. Coney was independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
by the 1978 elections (the NIP having been wound up in the interim) and later served the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
but his example of building a strong local base in a single area, which included a 20.3% vote share in the 1973 Greater London Council election
Greater London Council election, 1973
The fourth election to the Greater London Council was held on April 12, 1973. Labour, benefiting both from the unpopularity of the Conservative GLC's transport policy and from the difficulties of the national Conservative government, won a very large majority of 58 seats to 32 for the...
, was later lauded by elements within the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
who supported Nick Griffin
Nick Griffin
Nicholas John "Nick" Griffin is a British politician, chairman of the British National Party and Member of the European Parliament for North West England....
against John Tyndall
John Tyndall (politician)
John Hutchyns Tyndall was a British politician who was prominently associated with several fascist/neo-Nazi sects. However, he is best known for leading the National Front in the 1970s and founding the contemporary British National Party in 1982.The most prominent figure in British nationalism...
due to their support for a similar localist strategy.
Disappearance
The support enjoyed by Coney in HaringeyLondon Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
was not replicated elsewhere however with the NIP never more than a minor force. The party, which was closely associated with a group calling itself the Political Independence Movement, failed to challenge the hegemony of the National Front on the far right and had disappeared before the decade was out, with many of its members returning to the NF.